


Learn to Duck--The One Shot, Two Shot Job

by crayonbreakygal



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 17:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6337720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nate Ford is a magnet for trouble.  Sophie is just along for the ride.--Takes place right after The Bank Shot Job</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learn to Duck--The One Shot, Two Shot Job

Takes place right after The Bank Shot Job, season one

Learn to Duck--The One Shot, Two Shot Job 

How many times had Nathan Ford been shot? There must be a record somewhere how many times he had put himself in harm’s way. Sophie did not want to know. Well, she knew, but she didn’t want to know.

Was this the second or third time? Since she had done the deed once herself, she wondered if he had ever taken a bullet without her around. If he had left that bank when he should have, it would not have happened. He would have been on the other side of the door, helping to protect her on the outside, not inside. Only he didn’t leave when he needed to leave.

It all started with a con. Nate had almost wrapped up the evil judge in a neat, little bow when he stopped in the middle of the bank and turned. Sophie wondered what he was doing. They were supposed to leave and Nate would turn the judge over to the cops.

Sophie turned her head to the side. Nate gestured slightly to her that he needed her attention. The way he gestured back to her clued her in that there was danger. Then she heard on the comm what he wanted. It wasn’t like she didn’t figure it out. She could see his body language, the way his hands moved, the way his eyes darted from place to place. She could read him like a book and it said there was danger. And the shotgun that the bank robber had placed on the counter. That definitely indicated danger.

It had all been a mistake that he was still in the bank. He needed to listen to her next time. Only Eliot totally understood what Nate had meant. Eliot at some point in his life had been military. There was no way he was leaving part of the team behind, especially Sophie.

The two of them attempted to stop the bank robbers, found out that the robbers were the ones that needed help, and set a plan in motion with Hardison, Eliot and Parker. It would have worked if not for the judge. What an asshole. The judge struggled with the boy for the gun. Before anyone knew what was going on, the gun fired, bullet hitting Nate.

Sophie screamed his name, his real name, as he fell to the floor, blood everywhere. The con was blown, his shoulder looked a mess and Sophie couldn’t help but cry. She was the reason he was lying in her arms, bleeding.

The three on the outside redoubled their efforts, took charge of the con and got Nate out without too many other problems. Now he would have a chance to heal.

Hardison found them some rooms a few towns over with good air conditioning. That was all that mattered. A bed, some air and time for Nate to be able to move so they could travel back home. He was in no condition at the moment. Eliot did not want to take him to the hospital and get all sorts of questions about what happened.

Sophie had changed the dressing on his shoulder again, attempting to not wake him.

“What time is it?” he managed to croak out.

“I have no idea.”

The curtains were drawn tight against the heat, cocooning them inside from the rest of the world.

Sophie was bone tired. She hadn’t even changed from the day before, only managing to wolf down a sandwich when Eliot made her. As she stood beside the bed, she looked down at the dried blood underneath her fingernails. That’s when she panicked and ran for the bathroom.

Taking the cheap soap that she found there, she started scrubbing as hard as she could, to get Nate’s blood off of her. She was the cause of this. Nate could have died because of her.

“Sophie, stop,” Nate said as he stood beside her, weaving a little.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” she answered, tears falling fast onto the counter.

“Yeah, well, I needed to stretch my legs and make sure my grifter was OK. Are you OK?”

The look of worry on his face undid her even more. She buried her head in her hands then, trying to hide her face from his sorrowful eyes.

“It’s just, god, again?”

“I do have a nack for finding trouble. It was an accident. Pure and simple.”

Sophie looked up then, face covered in tears.

“I’m not talking about the wound. I’m talking about you not leaving me there. At the first sign of trouble, you should have been out that door. I can take care of myself.”

There, she said it. She could take care of herself. Did Nate trust her to take care of herself?

“I was not going to leave you in there. Anything could have happened to you.”

Sophie could see that he was starting to breathe too heavily. He probably was in a lot of pain. She’d have to get Eliot to get more pain meds. He only carried so much in the med kit. She turned to help guide him back to the bed.

“But it didn’t. When will you learn?”

Nate pinned her against the vanity in the bathroom.

“I am not going to lose you. Do you understand?”

When had he become so overpowering? Sure, he was taller than she was. His arms were stronger than they looked. He could throw a punch when needed, although he left that job up to Eliot when he could. Nate wasn’t built like Hardison or Eliot, all muscle and bulk. He was lean, fit and looked delicious in a suit like no other. One of her fantasies was to tie him up with his own tie and have her way with him.

He stood before her, no shirt, shoulder bandaged and jeans pulled down low. It made him look twenty years younger, except for the grey hairs on his chest. Reaching out, she touched him, ran her fingers over his chest softly.

“I’m not sure this is the best idea,” he started to say before she pulled his head down and kissed him.

It was a kiss to show him that she was grateful he was alive; that she was grateful that he would not leave her behind; that she was grateful that he cared about her that much.

Finally letting the kiss end, she noticed that he had gone even paler as he stood against her.

“Let’s put you back to bed,” she told him.

“Probably shouldn’t have all that blood rushing to places I don’t think I could use right now.”

Sophie snorted with laughter at his innuendo. As she placed him back in bed gently, she kissed him on the forehead.

“Then you need to get better.”

Nate’s eyes flew open at that admission. Was there a chance for them, Sophie thought?

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered in his best Texas accent.


End file.
